Daylight saving time ends at midnight Saturday (17) for three regions of the country

DST entered into force on 15 October last year in order to reduce the consumption of electricity in the South, Southeast and Midwest.

17/02/2018 15h49 - Updated 17/02/2018 17h09

Photo: reproduction

Agency Brazil

At midnight Saturday (17), residents of the South, Southeast and Midwest of the country should delay its clocks. It is the DST end, which entered into force in 15 October last year, in order to reduce electricity consumption between 18h and 21h in the three regions.

According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the energy volume and their monetary value - saved with the determination to be released next Tuesday (20).

And the Federal District, 10 federal units need to adapt their hands: Goiás; Mato Grosso; Mato Grosso do Sul; Minas Gerais; Paraná; Rio de Janeiro; Rio Grande do Sul; Santa Catarina; São Paulo and Espírito Santo. The population of the North and Northeast is not affected because the states of the region are not included in the summer time.

According to data of the National Electric System Operator (US), with this step, in 2013, the Brazil saved R $ 405 millions, or 2.565 megawatts (MW). Next year, the economy fell to R $ 278 millions (2.035 MW) e, in 2015 It fell further, to R $ 162 millions. In 2016, the value suffered another fall, to R $ 147,5 millions.

This lower influence of DST can be explained by the fact that significant portions of the areas subject as have stepped up the use of equipment such as air conditioning, as a way to reduce the heat, raising the demand for electricity. Although already exempt incandescent bulbs, replacing them with more economic models.

At the end of last year, the federal government signaled the possibility of abolishing DST, because there is no consensus on the relationship with the electricity savings. nevertheless, just only shortening the period 2018/2019 in two weeks, at the request of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), to facilitate the counting of votes of the elections, because the then president of the body, Minister Gilmar Mendes, He argued that this would facilitate, between states with different time zones, the pace of alignment in the counting of votes in elections. Thereby, the DST 2018 It will be adopted on the first Sunday in November.

"The assessment of the current impact on reducing consumption and electricity demand, contained in studies this year 2017 by the National System Operator (US) together with the Ministry of Mines and Energy, It shows that the adoption of DST currently brings results close to neutrality for the electrical system ", assessed the folder in a statement in October last year.